Worried over farmers' round-the-clock sit-ins on the outskirts of New Delhi, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Thursday invited protest leaders to further talks. Farmers' unions still insist they want the laws repealed, a coalition of unions called Samyukta Kisan Morcha said on Saturday in a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. The government says the laws, which came into force in September, will unshackle farmers from having to sell their produce only at regulated wholesale markets. It argues farmers will gain if large traders, retailers and food processors can buy directly from producers, bypassing antiquated wholesale markets. Modi has dismissed the farmers' protests as motivated by his political opponents, while the main opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the prime minister of introducing the laws to help a few business people.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 26, 2020 15:33 UTC